Abstract:
A new study that claims man-made carbon molecules called "buckyballs" could deform human DNA - possibly leading to cancer and birth defects - is no cause for alarm, says a senior research officer at the National Institute for Nanotechnology in Edmonton.

"It's like saying there's a lot of poisons in the drugstore and those poisons could kill everyone on the planet," said Dr. Hicham Fenniri, who's also a professor of chemistry. "Well, those poisons have to get to the people first."

(Ed.'s note: "it will be several years before nanotechnology will be used in everyday products and materials" - nanoscale materials - the subject of this article - have been used in "everyday products" for several years. "So if you build a car out of nanotechnology... " - must a translation problem; nobody will be building a car out of nanotechnology, at least in the context as presented in this article; nanoscale materials certainly.)